BMI & ICSI

[bakingqueen9]

Hello everyone,

I wonder if anyone might be able to help with something that has really been playing on my mind - BMI.

We are due to start ICSI in the next few months, but my BMI has been flagged as an issue. Although it's under 35, I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced going through IVF with a high BMI? My consultant is really heavy about it - which I understand - but our issue is male fertility, I have regular periods and am otherwise perfectly healthy.

Just curious if anyone else has had any experience - or why they are so focused on BMI?

Thanks for any advice x

I had to get mine under 30 before I was even considered for IVF, which then became ICSI.

The thinking is that pregnancy in general is more successful in people with a BMI below 30.

Mine was always an issue, the clinic went on about it a lot.

It was 31 when I had treatment, we were male factor to and my DD is now 9!

I think they just want you to be in the best health possible so that's why they want it to be lower.

I also had acupuncture for 3 months before and a month after. Zita West vitamins, no caffeine or alcohol. It was our last cycle (No 5) so I threw everything at.

Good luck

It is about being in good health but it is also about your response to the stimulation drugs. You would need a higher dose than someone of a lower BMI to get the same response.
Many NHS funders insist on a BMI under 30 so it may not be just the consultant's decision.

Being overweight can also compromise access at egg collection. If the ovary is in a difficult position to access (as is sometimes the case) they can often manually palpate the ovary to move it closer to the right position to gain access to aspirate the follicles trans-vaginally. The bigger the patient the more difficult it is to palpate the ovary.

As well as the fact that anaesthetic is safer if you're a healthy weight

It works the other way too. My Dr wouldn't start IVF until I'd got my BMI up out of the underweight range - this was private treatment. NHS insists on a minimum BMI of 19, there have been women on these boards who've had to put on weight to get approved, as well as those who've had to lose weight.

This summarises the issue of access to the ovaries in obese patients very clearly - as we as the correlation between BMI and success rates (it's a really useful resource about all things IVF - can highly recommend it as a wealth of information!)

www.advancedfertility.com/weight.htm

Mine was 33 and as private they commented would be good to lose weight but would treat me

2 failed uk cycles

Went abroad and bmi then 35😳😳 due to previous drugs and over eating due to failed ivf

That cycle with higher drugs and icsi meant got more eggs and and all but one fertilised and again all but one survived to day 5&6 and ending up managing to freeze 6

Obv the healthier You are helps overall but in my case having high bmi was fine

NHS is my area is 25 tho some are 30